Editor's Top Picks Sharing the Atmosphere of The Unpardonable Sin: Cult Guide

Dir: Marshall Neilan

The manager of the American oil company quits out of fear of El Jaguar, the bandit who is terrorizing the Mexican countryside, Phil Jordan is sent in his place. Phil arrives with his younger sister Nancy, when the bandit makes a unwanted pass towards the girl, Phil beats him, causing El Jaguar to vow revenge. Waiting until Phil's bride Beth arrives, El Jaguar captures all three Americans and sadistically forces Phil to choose between leaving with his sister or his wife. Beth volunteers to remain as a sacrifice, and Phil and Nancy ride off, soon to encounter a troop of rangers. They all rush back to rescue Beth, but before they arrive, the bandit is killed by a woman whom he had abducted and violated on her wedding night.

Dir: Marshall Neilan

In the Canadian Northwest, Jen Galbraith lives in a tavern with her brother Val and her father Peter, a bootlegger who sells whiskey to the Indians. Val's friend Pierre resolves to win Jen, even though she is in love with Sergeant Tom Gellatly of the Mounted Police. When Val tries to retrieve some liquor sold illegally by the elder Galbraith to an Indian named Grey Cloud, the Indian insults Jen and Val shoots him. Tom is assigned to track down the murderer, but after he arrives at the tavern, Galbraith and Pierre drug him. Jen delivers the papers he is carrying to police headquarters, but when she discovers that they contain orders to arrest her brother, she shoots Tom to prevent him from going after Val. Pierre appears and attacks Jen, and soon after, Val returns, followed closely by a squad of police. Val and Jen force Pierre to confess that he killed Grey Cloud, and Tom tells the police that he shot himself accidentally.

A visual fragment from the archive: The thematic resonance of Heart of the Wilds perfectly mirrors the editorial trajectory of our deep dive.

Dir: Marshall Neilan

Jane Colby, doubting the honesty of Harvey Wilson, a member of the firm by which she is employed, discovers a discrepancy in his accounts, and his resignation is therefore requested by Edward Royle. his partner. Both these men are interested in Edith Preston. Wilson is her favorite, the fact that he is married having been kept from her. She accepts Royle's proposal of marriage. Wilson, revengeful, plans with David Pierce to effect Royle's financial ruin. Jane has saved nearly $10,000 with which to purchase a home. She is daily becoming of more value to her employer, and discovering that the stock in which he is interested is going down, and unable to reach Royle, forges his signature to a check and buys "Consolidated." Wilson learns that Jane has pulled Royle out of the hole and works through Edith to obtain her discharge. Royle quickly finds out how little he really knows of his own business and puts Jane back to work. Believing Jane out of the way, Wilson and Pierce are confident they can "clean" Royle and make a fortune for themselves. Jane learns it will take $10,000 more to make Royle safe, and buys the stock with her own money. Edith has refused to help Royle, forbidding him to touch her jewels. She leaves Royle and goes to Wilson's apartment, leaving a note for her husband. The latter learns from the chauffeur where she has gone and follows. Fearing trouble. Jane also goes to Wilson's apartment and hides Edith as Royle rushes in. He accuses her of also being under Wilson's spell and reveals the fact that he is married. Edith hears this, and mad with rage, bursts into the room, puts her arms around her husband, who repulses her. Wilson also states he wants nothing more to do with her. At the office Jane shows Royle a news item about a big foreign order which revives the stock, but he believes it has come too late. As Jane reveals to him how she has saved him, he tells her that she is no longer a silent partner, but a full partner, and the love which has never before been expressed lights up both their faces.

Dir: Marshall Neilan

After years of mining, Steve Brant finally strikes it rich and plans to use his new fortune to give his wife Helen all of the things that she has had to do without. Helen, however, is already fed up with her lifestyle, so she agrees to run away with the mysterious Craig Wells. Even the elopement cannot change Steve's plans and he sends Helen a package filled with money. The gesture makes her realize how much she loves Steve, and she insists on turning back, but Craig, who is wanted for stealing government funds, refuses. Helen and Craig fight, and during the struggle, she is shot accidentally, after which Craig deserts her. Eventually, Steve finds Helen and nurses her back to health, while the authorities capture Craig and hang him.

A visual fragment from the archive: The thematic resonance of The Silent Partner perfectly mirrors the editorial trajectory of our deep dive.

Dir: Marshall Neilan

A Belgian countess escapes to America to avoid a loveless marriage and finds romance and adventure in a mountain village in Tennessee.

Dir: Marshall Neilan

A bartender named Holiday is a teetotaler, and decides to preach his new belief in abstinence to all the world, until there is no one left who drinks.

A visual fragment from the archive: The thematic resonance of The Country That God Forgot perfectly mirrors the editorial trajectory of our deep dive.

Dir: Marshall Neilan

Little Sara Crewe is placed in a boarding school by her father when he goes off to war, but he does not understand that the headmistress is a cruel, spiteful woman who makes life miserable for Sara.

Dir: Marshall Neilan

Lopaka, a poor Hawaiian fisherman, falls in love with Kokua, a young girl of royal blood. Her irascible father refuses her hand until Lopaka can bring him two feather cloaks, an impossible stipulation, as no one not of royal blood can touch a cloak under penalty of death. Rollis, a drunken sailor, tries to steal the girl, but is driven away by Lopaka. He then concludes to go to Devil's Mountain and snare the bird from which the feathers for the cloaks are obtained. He goes to the volcano but finds no bird. He encounters an old dying priest of Pele, who agrees to give him a wishing bottle in which Kono, a brother of Pele, is confined. Kono will grant any wish to the bottle's owner, but anyone dying with the bottle in his possession will go to hell and the bottle must be sold for less than paid for it, otherwise it will come back with its menace. Lopaka wishes for wealth and servants and his humble hut turns into a beautiful palace. Kokua and her father join the crowd in front of the palace and the father readily gives her in marriage to Lopaka. Lopaka sells the bottle to his friend, Makale, but angers the Bottle Imp and is stricken with leprosy so that he cannot marry. He finds Makale has sold the bottle and it passes through many hands, but he is unable to secure it again. Each time the bottle is sold for less, being sold for the smallest coin. Rollins gains possession of the bottle and is about to steal Kokua when Lopaka rushes to her aid and the two men fight and fall from a high cliff into the sea, where Lopaka strangles the sailor. With the death of Rollins, the last owner of the bottle, the Imp is freed and goes back to his mountain and the dead volcano gushes forth lava and flames. The gorgeous raiment of Lopaka and Kokua fade into their old rags; the wonderful palace vanishes, but the two are happy together in the fisherman's little hut.

A visual fragment from the archive: The thematic resonance of Out of a Clear Sky perfectly mirrors the editorial trajectory of our deep dive.

Dir: Marshall Neilan

Three men, disillusioned in love and intent on getting away from all women, rent a cabin and retreat there. But the young woman who owns the cabin, unaware that it has been rented, is on her way there to escape from an unhappy engagement.

Dir: Marshall Neilan

Melanie is captured by a Northern soldier while she is carrying secret Southern messages. She falls into the hands of her father's former superior, who attempts to compromise her. She is saved by a successful Confederate attack.